"Fill Us With JOY In Your Presence", Lord!

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  We’ve talked a lot this week about BEING STILL before God.  That means simply finding time during the day away from distractions to “practice the presence” of God, as Brother Lawrence wrote.

            Why is this so important?  I think that Psalm 16:11 gives us a beautiful, clear explanation.  David wrote: “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”  You can sense from these words that when David wrote this Psalm, his heart was glad.  He had found the secret to true joy.  Happiness is temporary because it is based on what is “happening”….our external circumstances; but JOY is lasting because it is based on God’s presence within us.

            You see, if we will be still long enough to spend time with God, He will guide us down our “path of life”…and we will receive the blessing of JOY and contentment along that path.  As a part of our daily routine, let’s make it our prayer that He “fill us with joy in His presence”.

Do you want to know “the path of life” God has for you?  Open His Word, seek His wisdom and be filled with His joy! We can look forward to the eternal pleasures He has waiting for us as His children.  Come on! Let’s go share that truth with everyone we meet today!  

 

Sit Down and Taste His JOY

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today? We must sit still and “taste” that the Lord is good!

            It’s true that we all have countless duties and responsibilities to our families, our jobs, even our churches.  We race through our day checking our “to do list”…and often  we are so busy doing good things, that we miss God’s best.

            Priscilla Shirer writes (in her book He Speaks to Me) : “Maybe we need to cease some of our activity and hush the noise in our lives so that we can clearly discern what our Father wants to say.”  She refers to John 6 where Jesus fed the five thousand.  The people had listened to Jesus teach all day.  He realized that they were hungry.  In verse 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”

He distributed the food to those who were seated.  You see, until we “take a seat” and let go of our frantic activity, He will not fill us.  We often miss out on His blessings because we just won’t BE STILL!

            So… Let’s sit down, my friend, and allow God to fill us. He’s got a special recipe of JOY that He wants to feed you and me….if we will “be still and know..”.

Take the time today…and everyday..to sit down before the Father and drink in His special flavor of JOY JUICE that He has made especially for you!  

Is JOY on Your Agenda Today?

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  What’s on your agenda for this day?  Do you have a list of meetings, projects, appointments, chores and responsibilities that began racing through your mind just as soon as your feet hit the floor this morning? 

            Yesterday we talked about being still.  In Chuck Swindoll’s book So You Want to be Like Christ? he writes: “God will never adjust His agenda to fit ours.  He will not speed His pace to catch up with ours; we need to slow our pace in order to recover our walk with Him.  God will not scream and shout over the noisy clamor; He expects us to seek quietness, where His still small voice can be heard.”

            Philippians 3:10 is a wonderful reminder about what the Christian life is all about! Paul says:  “For my determined purpose is that I may know Him---that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him.” Is that your heart’s desire?

            Do you want to know Him in an intimate, deep relationship?  Do you hear God’s voice amidst the hustle and bustle of your busy day?  Let’s all remember that making time for Christ is imperative for living a life filled with JOY in the Lord!

 

Be determined to know Jesus on a personal level….and be showered in blessings of love and joy!

Be Still....and know the JOY of JESUS!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  “BE STILL….and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10 says.   Many of us find that the only time we’re really “still” is when we’re asleep! And we’re probably running in our dreams!  Being still is an important part of our spiritual growth process.

             An intimate relationship with God requires quiet time spent alone with God.  Church attendance is wonderful and certainly should be a part of every Christian’s life, but one-on-one time with Him is how we develop a deep, abiding relationship.

            Many years ago when my husband and I were dating, we would spend time together to “get to know one another”.  If we had not been intentional about making that time for one another, we may have never fallen in love.  Now, after 41 years of marriage, we enjoy a deep, personal relationship. Even more so with God, we need to be intentional about spending time in His presence, reading the Bible and communicating with Him in prayer.

            I encourage you today to fall in love with Jesus. Put away the distractions and focus on Him.   BE STILL….and know that He is God.  You’ll soon have that joyful glow about you that can only come from “being in love” with Jesus!

Listen to God in those still quiet moments as He whispers His promises of love straight into your heart!  His love and JOY go hand in hand, so enjoy both today!

             

Inevitable JOY

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Drinking in the joy of the Lord helps us to study and focus on the true joy that is ours when we are in relationship with Jesus.

             The more I study the Word of God, the more I am convinced that genuine JOY is one of the surest signs of the presence of God in a person’s life. Author Bruce Larson says that “if God really is the center of one’s life and being, joy is inevitable.  If we have no joy, we have missed the heart of the Good News and our bodies, as much as our souls will suffer the consequences.” (Swindoll’s Book of Quotes)

            JOY is the “enjoyment” of God.   We live in a fast-paced society; often days go by and we realize that we haven’t stopped once to pray, much less read from God’s Word.  How can we enjoy a relationship with God if we never take time to enjoy His presence?

            We need to slow down and take the time to sit at His feet.   Psalm 46:10 reminds us to “Be still and know that I am God.”  It brings Him great joy when we make time in our busy day to communicate with Him.  And that is when we will be able to hear Him speak to our hearts in His still small voice.  When you have heard that sweet, loving voice of God, you will be filled with JOY in the Lord! .

Slow down, be still and hear God.  Then get ready to share His abundant joy with others throughout the day!

Bubble Over With JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Let’s make sure our priorities are in order. 

JESUS first, Others next, Yourself last.

 How can we successfully prioritize when we have so many things pulling us in all directions?  Family obligations, job responsibilities, even church activities can take much of our time.  Though we start the day with good “intentions”, many times we get those priorities all out of order!

 If we discipline ourselves to faithfulness, to prayer and Bible study, when the tough times do come, we’ll have our priorities in order. We’ll know that we know that God has a plan and a purpose for everything that He allows into our life.  As 1 Peter 1:8 says: “Though you have not seen him, you love him….you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”

Tough times are going to come to all of us.  But when you rest in God and His plan, you will be able to face those challenges differently. People may begin to ask you why you are so calm and peaceful in the midst of tough times.  And you’ll be able to say: “God has filled me with His inexpressible, glorious JOY!”

Experience that JOY found in relationship with Jesus….and bubble over with His love.  

                       

Scatter His JOY Along Your Way

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Jesus taught that we should “Love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. “ And that we should “Love our neighbor as ourselves.”

            The world teaches, however, that we all have our “rights”, and we should look out for #1…OURSELVES.  We say that we teach our children to share, but are we as adults practicing what we preach?  I’m afraid that we have become a very self-centered society.  Do you agree?

           

            Just think what this world could be like---if we all would put others before ourselves!  No one would have to demand their rights, because we’d be more concerned about one another than ourselves.  We wouldn’t have to worry about locking our doors or being fearful of what others may do, because there would be no crime!  When needs arose, people would see them and meet those needs. Life would be joyous and carefree.  Sounds a little like heaven, doesn’t it?

            We may not be able to change the whole world here on earth, but we can influence our little corner while we are here.  Try putting Jesus first and others a close second.   Not only will you be spreading joy to others, but I have a feeling that your own joyful heart will be written across your face in the form of a great big smile!

Drink your Joy Juice faithfully as you are waiting to experience a JOYful eternity with Christ. And let’s remember to be attentive to others' needs along the way!